Putin on Afghanistan

[paulsbc]

from the official transcript today. I heard this live and didn't see it discussed.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Regarding declarative character of the relations between Russia and the United States. Where do, as we say in Russia, legs grow, where do some questions come from? This happens because people expect from us constantly some kind of revolutions. Now, just positive development in the relationship is no longer sufficient for them. I would like to point your attention that due to rapprochement between Russia and the United States we manage to establish and to create in the world, an atmosphere and trust -- of trust and strategic stability.

This had very practical results, including in such sensitive areas as combating terrorism. I have never said this in public, I'm going to do it today. When counterterrorist operation began in Afghanistan, we were approached by people, through several channels, we were approached by people who intended to fight against Americans in Afghanistan. And if by that time President Bush and I had not formed appropriate relationship, as we have, so no one knows what turn would the developments in Afghanistan had taken. You know what was Russia's position, and it helped, to a great extent, to achieve further results that we have achieved in Afghanistan, and was for a very good purpose.

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so, did Bush actually do something right post-9/11 and enable our rapid victory in Afghanistan b/c the Russians kept out of it?

what "channels" and what "people who intended to fight against Americans" is he talking about?

[sweetladybug]

1. Maybe Bush dangled a carrot in front of Putin in order for

Russia to stay out of the fight in Afghanistan

[realFedUp]

2. Afghanistan was Russia's Vietnam

I'm reading Charlie Wilson's War and haven't gotten to
any parts about who would have aided Russia in Afghanistan
against the CIA-trained Muhajadeen (now the Taliban)
but seems that Russia is now up to ears still with Chechnya.

good question though. I don't give any credit to Bush.

[Yupster]

3. I give credit

Afghanistan was a very impressive vixtory.

The terrorist camps had to be shut down as best as possible. The Taliban had to be removed from power.

But how to do it?

We had no friends bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan was backing the Taliban. Who knew what Iran would do.

Since it's a landlocked country, there was no way for our fleet to influence the situation, and there was no where from which we could base an invasion.

Whatever we did to pull that thing together, it was a very impressive operation, and a very bold undertaking.

Now Iraq though is an entirely different situation.